Monday, December 29, 2008

Isabeau de Roubaix was the last of a noble, northern French family whose fortune had been established by her grandfather, Jean de Roubaix, counsellor to Philip the Good. Isabeau was the châtelaine* of Roubaix and was married to Jacques de Luxembourg in 1464.

In the late 1480s, Isabeau founded the Hospital of Saint Elizabeth for the Black Sisters of the Order of St Augustine (it was part-hospital, part-convent). The illuminated manuscript seen above (as well as at least one other decorated manuscript) was bequeathed to the Order when Isabeau died (sometime between 1494 and 1502).

'Le Livre de l'Heures d'Isabeau de Roubaix' (the Book of Hours of Isabella of Roubaix*) is a vellum manuscript consisting of one hundred and ninety one sheets. The liturigical text was composed or arranged locally, but the manuscript itself was produced - specifically for Isabeau - by two scribes in a Flemish workshop in about 1460. There are seventeen pages with miniatures surrounded by exquisite arabesques highlighted with gold. Historiated and decorated initials are found on every page. Roubaix coats of arms can be seen among the border decoration in many of the above images the fifth image from the top and third image from the bottom.

The manuscript was lost for about forty years from the time of the French Revolution and the St Augustine nun who rediscovered it passed it over the Mayor's office from where it found its way to the Roubaix Library.

There is an html slideshow displaying details from the manuscript accompanied by brief commentary in French that I was able to follow until the link appeared to die halfway through the twenty eight slides; but this might be due to my own - continuing - connection problems. (?)

There is little else around worth linking that relates directly to the manuscript (or even Isabeau): the notes above were distilled from brief mentions in a variety of secondary commentaries and books. But the 'Leaves of Gold' website, from the collaborative efforts of a number of Philadelphia cultural institutions, is always a worthwhile overview accompaniment to illuminated works. [The Wikipedia page has links to a number of Books of Hours]

To all those people who have commented or sent emails to which I've not replied because I was too busy or too lazy or forgot, and to the rest of the faceless silent hordes who traipse through this rest-stop and who, like me, find some measure of beauty or solace or interesting weirdness in this crazy world among the illustrated cultural history we are privileged to have access to online, I wish a peaceful and happy new year.

3 comments
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These are so much more enchanting than anything else I've had reason to look at in the past couple of days. I think they're a very fine way of approaching the New Year.

(The internet connection here too seems to have gone all sluggish, although probably not for any known reason, alas. Nothing is loading in a timely manner. It may never load sufficiently to finish posting this. ...and 8-9 hours later maybe this will actually load...)

This is as good of a place as any to tell you what a delight your website is.Would place it IMMEDIATELY in the Hall of Fame of the History of the Internet if I could. Your research is wide encompassing and thorough. Thank you for all your efforts and for the love of what your are doing. You ARE a role model.Beauty and solace you are bringing indeed, and for that we are MOST grateful.Best wishes to you and yours for the coming new year.

Let me add my appreciative comments to worldgaze; your site is the first thing that I turn to when I turn on my computer. There's a wealth of gorgeous images which represent who knows how many hours of research. I am always grateful for the riches that you bring to us. May 2009 bring you peace, prosperity and a fantastic computer connection!